1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of composite label webs and to method of using composite label webs.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The following U.S. patents are made of record: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,862; 4,309,468; 4,393,107; 4,521,267; 4,556,442; 5,705,245; and 5,988,249. In addition, it is known in the art to provide composite label webs that are usable in labelers having different feed wheels, wherein one pattern of feed apertures in the carrier web of the composite label web is solely for the pattern of feed teeth of one feed wheel, and the other pattern of feed apertures in the carrier web is solely for the pattern of feed teeth of the other feed wheel. This results in a large number of feed apertures in the carrier web, which may subject the carrier web to increased likelihood of tearing when used in a labeler. All of the teeth on the one feed wheel of the one labeler enter and engage only all of the one feed apertures in the label-carrying web; or all of the teeth on the other feed wheel of the other labeler enter and engage only all of the other feed apertures in the label-carrying web.
In general, feed wheels differ in width and diameter depending upon the width and length of the labels which the labeler is intended to dispense. The number of teeth on a feed wheel of a labeler is dependent on the amount of drag or force required to advance the carrier web through a serpentine path through the labeler. There is normally a safety factor so that the number of teeth are more than adequate for advancing the carrier web without unduly stressing the carrier web at the feed apertures. This safety factor means that the feed wheels are sometimes designed with more feed teeth than are absolutely necessary to advance the carrier web through the labeler.
The invention relates to an improved composite label web and to method of using a composite label web. The invention takes advantage of the fact that the entire safety factor or overdesign may not be absolutely necessary in a properly functioning labeler.
According to the invention, an improved composite label web is provided that can be used in different labelers having different feed wheels with different feed tooth patterns, without unduly weakening the carrier web of the composite label web or otherwise increasing the tendency of the carrier web to tear.
According to the invention, the number of feed apertures in the carrier web can be reduced by using less than all the feed teeth of the two different feed wheels. For example, one feed wheel can have four laterally spaced circumferentially extending rows of feed teeth, only three of which are used to advance the carrier web. Thus, only three columns of feed apertures are required in the carrier web for the three rows of feed teeth. The unused feed teeth of the remaining row can enter or be received in another column or line of feed apertures in the carrier web but do not drivingly engage the carrier web; the other feed wheel can have three laterally spaced, circumferentially extending rows of feed teeth, only two of which are used to advance the carrier web. Thus, only two columns of feed apertures are required in the carrier web for these two rows of feed teeth. The unused feed teeth of the remaining row can enter or be received in another column or line of feed apertures in the carrier web but do not drivingly engage the carrier web. In this way, the unused teeth of each feed wheel merely enter but do not engage feed apertures which would normally be used by the other feed wheel to advance the carrier web.
It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved composite label web having labels releasably adhered to a carrier web, wherein the carrier web can be advanced either by a labeler having M number of teeth engageable with less than M number of feed apertures of a first pattern in the carrier web, or by a labeler having N number of teeth engageable with less than N number of feed apertures of a second pattern in the carrier web.
It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved composite label web which can be advanced by either one of two feed wheels having different feed tooth patterns, wherein the number of feed apertures in the carrier web is less than the number of engaging teeth of the two feed wheels.
It is another feature of the invention to provide an improved method of advancing a composite label web, wherein the carrier web is advanced by either one of two feed wheels, but some of the teeth of each feed wheel do not engage the carrier web to keep the number of feed apertures in the carrier web to a minimum.
In one specific embodiment, a composite label web can be used in labelers having different first and second feed wheels. The first feed wheel has a plurality of like first feed tooth patterns. The second feed wheel has a plurality of like second feed tooth patterns which differ from the first feed tooth patterns. The composite label web includes a longitudinally extending carrier web and labels releasably adhered thereto. The carrier web has first repetitive patterns of first feed apertures and second repetitive patterns of second feed apertures. The first apertures are engageable with some but not all of the first feed teeth and the second apertures are engageable with some but not all of the second feed teeth. The sum of the feed apertures in the first pattern and the second pattern is less than the sum of the feed teeth in the first feed tooth pattern and the second feed tooth pattern.